Bunker Hodgdon: #83 Street Stock
Driver Profile
Name: Archie “Bunker” Hodgdon
Hometown: Hardwick, VT
2010 Points Finish: 12th Place Overall
Bunker Hodgdon is one of the most well known drivers in the Allen Lumber Street Stocks at Thunder Road. With a checkered past, and a brighter future ahead of the young Hardwick native, you can’t talk about the 2011 Street Stock championship without mentioning his name.
In 2010, Hodgdon started off in a Hess Racing mustang with a strong third-place finish in the Merchants Bank 150, but struggled with the mustang in later races, until switching to a Dodge Daytona around midseason. From there he picked up speed, figuring out the new car, and notching several top tens and heat victories. By the end of the season, he was consistently one of the fastest cars on the track. Bunker rolls into 2011 on that hot streak, but that won’t be enough for him. He’ll be sporting a brand new -bolt for bolt- Daytona this year, and with the new rules package, he will be tough to beat.
Bunker’s winning history started in the early nineties when his Uncles Henry and Randy Cleveland drove in the Tiger division at Thunder Road. They were also Hess sponsored cars. From 1994-1997 Bunker served as his father’s crew chief on a mustang in the Street Stock division – a time frame in which he never finished outside of the top ten in points. From there Bunker started out running a few Enduros, and then ran his first full season in a Junkyard Warrior at Thunder Road in 2006.
From there, he went pedal to the metal and never looked back. Notching a staggering nine podium finishes – not to mention finishing second overall – in 2006 turned the heads of many in his first full season, but his real reputation would begin the next year. In 2007, Bunker and his #20 team burned an orange blur into the memories of Thunder Road fans when they took the division by storm, and hoisted the championship trophy at the Milkbowl. It was Bunker’s second year of racing, and he already had notched a championship in his young career.
In 2008, it was time to move the young talent to the Allen Lumber Street Stocks. Although he was edged out of Rookie of the Year by 2010 SS Champion Mike MacAskill, he still notched not one, but two wins in his first full year in a Street Stock.
In short, Hodgdon and his team have shown they have the history, the mechanics, and the driver talent to win championships. They will give the SS championship another go in a brand new Dodge Daytona, along with teammate and brother-in-law Greg Adams. Watch out for the #83 car in 2011.
More Info About Bunker:
Bunker works as an auto technician at Vianor Tire in Montpelier, VT. In the offseason he loves to turkey and deer hunt, His favorite foods are Tacos (a theme with racecar drivers?), and lasagna. He sends out special thanks to his wife for constantly supporting him on and off the track, Brian Shatney, Dennis (his crew chief), Donny Yates, his parents and parents in law, Kyle and Chuck Hess, and his teammate Greg Adams.
